PICKLEBALL BASICS

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STACKING TIPS with Dee Davison

I encourage players of all levels to play high percentage pickleball. Aggressive, low percentage shots may be fun for some, but other players will get frustrated at the resulting losses.

Pickleball loves consistency, and more points are lost than won. Many more.High percentage pickleball is frequently described as hitting the right shot in a particular situation time after time. This is partly true, but not entirely. Many players do hit the same shot in a particular situation consistently, but as their opponent, I’m completely relaxed because I know exactly what to expect.

They are predictable. They are safe. And while safe pickleball wins at many levels and is quite fun, the element of surprise is essential at higher levels. Incorporate a hint of danger into your game.Be unpredictaball.

Yeah, silly word. What do I mean by it?

In every situation there are several high percentage shot options. For me, high percentage means there is over an 80% chance my shot will be in. The 80% shot should be aimed to throw my opponents off more than the 95% shot.

Such a shot might involve hitting the ball near the sideline to throw your opponent off balance or driving a shot hard and low so it’s difficult to return. These shots nearly always occur at the kitchen line, but driving a third shot from the baseline is effective at times. High percentage play is not the same as predictable play.

This element of surprise generates anxiety and tension in opponents. We don’t want our opponents too comfortable or confident! Uncertain players make more errors. I love it when I know a player so well that I can guess the exact shot they’ll hit.

If I don’t know whether a well-placed dink, drive or lob is coming, I tighten up! Don Paschal was famous for this. He would take a backhand volley off his shoelaces at the kitchen and put it in my chest. Sometimes I couldn’t even see the ball till it crested the net.

Don’t use head fakes. They appear odd. Short back swings help you sell one shot and deliver another. Large back swings foretell hard shots. Decide even before your opponent hits the ball that, if the ball arrives where you expect, you’ll deliver a surprise shot.

Stroke or volley the ball using the appropriate mechanics. Avoid wristy shots that are difficult to control. Moving soft kitchen shots from the sideline to the center creates confusion as to which of your opponents will take the ball. An occasional lob might force your opponents to be uncertain about whether to take a step back from the kitchen line.

Keep your opponents guessing where and how hard every ball will come. Bringing a bag of high percentage trick shots to the court might just win you a few points and a few laughs.

It’s OK to be a softy in Pickleball!

Article from Walla Walla Pickleball Club

I think this pertains to all of us....

Bam, Boom, Pow, Crush, Slam, Destroy! Wow! I love hitting this pickleball hard! I can crush my backhand down the line…I can slam that ball harder than anyone…my forehand is unbeatable…I am fast and athletic… there is absolutely nobody that can beat me in this game! Nobody!

That was me when I first started playing pickleball. I crushed all the newbies at the gym, nobody could keep up with my power shots and slams. I put these crazy spins on the ball that caused people to slip trying to hit it back. I owned this game.

Then a funny thing happened, I started playing other places in the country, mainly in the Midwest. The realization hit me like a vat full of pickles, BOY DO I STINK!

I got absolutely picked apart by these Midwestern players despite the fact that I was sure I could hit harder than most of them. What was going on? Then the secret was revealed to me thus changing my entire outlook on pickleball forever. What was this secret, you might ask?

THE THIRD SHOT MUST BE PLACED SOFTLY IN THE KITCHEN.I said to myself, what? What are you talking about, that CANNOT have a serious effect on the game – why should I do that?

It was then explained to me that the soft third shot helps to neutralize your opponent’s game by getting everyone up to the line on an EQUAL PLAYING FIELD, engaging in the dink game. The soft third shot totally takes out the slam, bam, eat my pickle points from the game.

I thought about this for a while. Then I reluctantly started to at least attempt putting it to practice. It literally changed my game forever.

The soft third shot is definitely NOT an easy tactic to learn. Early on you’ll end up leaving shots up high and they’ll be promptly sent back at a high rate of speed, most of the time resulting in a “That’s where I like it” comment from your opponent. Pay no mind at all. Keep trying that soft third shot into the kitchen.

In addition, many failed third shot attempts will frustratingly fall short, hitting 1 -2 inches just below the top of the net. Not to worry…with a little practice this too will start to happen less and less.

There are many ways to perform the third shot. Experiment and find the way that is best for you. Practice makes perfect. And do not, I repeat, DO NOT, get frustrated with it. Patience…patience…patience. In time it will come. And believe me when I tell you, communication is KEY. Make sure you tell your pickle partner what you are doing. In order for the soft third shot to be effective it has to be a team effort. When both players are hitting the third shot effectively and getting to the line, it is a beautiful thing. Your games will really begin to mesh and you’ll end up “in the zone” simultaneously.

You’ll get into some incredible dinking battles and actually end up having FAR MORE SLAM FINISHES than ever before. The only difference now will be that YOU are the one making those slams and winning points, instead of your opponents.

Oh, and if your opponents decide to try hitting one through you, let them try. In the majority of cases most of the balls they swing hard at will start out lower than the top of the net when their paddle hits the ball. The typical end result is that the power slam shot they nailed will drop too low, harmlessly being captured by the net or the ball will rocket past you, sailing way out of bounds.

Strategy is the key to being successful in this game, and I can tell you from experience it is fun, fun, fun!The next time you play try the soft third shot. If you find your third shot is unsuccessful and is hit back to you…no worries. Try to do the same thing on your FIFTH SHOT short. If the fifth shot doesn’t work, try the SEVENTH shot short. If that does not work try the NINTH. Just get the ball in that kitchen and get to the line! IT IS IMPERATIVE TO GET THE BALL INTO THE KITCHEN AND TO KEEP IT LOW, no matter how many attempts it takes.

Just keep putting the ball into that kitchen! Sooner or later, your opponent will end up losing their patience or making a mistake…and then the real fun will begin!

Trust me, if you become proficient at the third shot, you will have more success at the game of pickleball. Another great part of the soft third shot game is that when you notice that your opponents are “bangers” you will say to your partner “No problem, we got this” and 9 times out of 10 you will be right.

Now just to be clear, there is definitely more to the soft third shot game than just knowing how to hit the ball. There are certain situations that arise that will call for a different type of shot. Those tactics will come in time. One step at a time for now. Don’t be afraid to give your game and yourself the time and patience you deserve. That being said, the very first thing you should put your focus on is to learn how to hit the soft third shot, consistently.

This takes practice and patience, but after a few months you should have it. Seek out players that do the soft third shot well and ask them about it. Play a few games with them and go over their strategy.Trust me, the effort will be well worth it.​It will open up an incredibly new, fun and exciting world within your pickleball game!

BLOCKING -- 2 WAYS

100 PICKLEBALL STRATEGIES. Over an hour long of drills.

Top Pickleball Players: Why They Can Break The “Rules” & You Shouldn’t By Prem Carnot

​If you watch many videos on Youtube or watch top-level tournaments, you’ll see that:

Enrique Ruiz lobs the heck out of his opponents.

Jennifer Lucore & Alex Hamner often smack the heck out of the ball instead of playing soft.

Morgan Evans often goes for the third shot drive instead of the third shot drop.

Matthew Blom hits his serve hard, often going for an ace.

If these top pickleball players do so well using these tactics, why is it that I usually recommend my students do almost the OPPOSITE of these things?

To be more detailed about it, you’ve probably watched a lot of top players out there on Youtube or different channels out there, and you noticed that certain number of players do certain number of things which I hardly recommend for most of us.

Top Pickleball Players Have Amazing Consistency

The reason behind it is that most of these players have VERY good consistency in what they hit. They are very, very strong in hitting. A top player who hits a great lob, consistently, sometimes does it with a lot of details to it, and he needs a lot more confidence to it. Lobbing is not the most effective shot, but in particular cases, it is a VERY great shot to have.

Top Pickleball Players Are Quick & Agile

Sometimes it’s also related to the agility of a player. Most of these top players are young and fast and quick and they can generally get to most of the balls. But most of us are probably not that fast and quick, and don’t have the reflexes. But for the players who want those techniques, and have consistency, I’m happy to teach them.

Top Pickleball Players Put in a TON of Court Time

There are also hours and hours of practice that these players have put together. Most of us are recreational players but some of those top players spend many, many hours behind their game, so they are very flexible to play a lot of shots, which they have mastered and honed.

So How Do You Know if You Can Break the Rules Like a Top Pickleball Player?As far as certain shots that are out there, it doesn’t mean that you are doing something wrong compared to them. They have just spent more time in their game and they are much more consistent.

If YOU are confident and consistent with the shot you have, go ahead, use it in your game. I’m always a proponent of using whatever works for you in your game.

DINKING STRATEGY

BASIC THIRD SHOT DROP

AN EFFECTIVE LOB -- QUICK TIP -- Pickleball Channel

TOP SHOT PROGRAM drills on the ball machine.Scroll down for videos and "how to" handouts.

TOP SHOT DRILLS -- the desire to improve.

Top Shot Skill Drill 7: 3rd Shot Drop

​Top Shot Skill Drill 6: Offensive Lob -- How and When

Top Shot Skill Drill 3: "DOWN THE MIDDLE" DRILL

Top Shot Skill Drill Explanations: Download each document, review and practice them with other players.